Kodokai Dojo

Last year Takamiyagi sensei handed me a gift. It was a martial arts book written entirely in Japanese. He had a problem with the book, however. The author, in photos and words, demonstrated various martial arts skills yet nowhere did he give credit to the person who taught him these skills. Honoring ones teachers is so important to the culture of Japan that Takamiyagi sensei truly could not understand this blatant disrespect and he brought the topic up repeatedly

Where would I, or any of us in the Kodokai community, be without the help of my teachers? Everything that I know about martial arts was taught to me by these people. I have never forgotten this. My good health, my outlook, skills and most of the people who have come into my life are a direct result of my teachers sharing with me.

I am truly grateful.     - D. Branchaud

Takamiyagi Tetsuo
Takamiyagi sensei is a tremendously qualified teacher. His background is very well-rounded and he was a direct student of several legendary masters. He studied Motobu Udundi under Uehara Seikichi, Toma Seiki, and Taira Ryoshu. He also is an 8th degree black belt in Shobayashi Shorin-ryu Karate and Kobudo under Shimabuku Eiso, and he studied Goju-ryu karate under the famous Toguchi sensei. He also studied Noguchi Taiso under Noguchi sensei in Tokyo.

He is a superb teacher in so many ways. His technique is strong and his knowledge is both deep and broad. He has an open mind and is always eager to learn new ways- a rare trait at any age. He is a dedicated teacher, squeezing in as much as we can take during our times together. While walking, driving or eating, from the dawn darkness and into the night, there is always a lesson.

Taira Ryoshu 1930- 2009
Taira sensei received private lessons twice each day from Uehara Seikichi, the twelfth headmaster of Motobu Udundi. This continued for thirty years. He received 'menkyo-kaiden', certificate of complete transmission, from the headmaster.
Taira sensei was a senior student of Uechi sensei, of Uechi-ryu karate, before abandoning karate and switching to Motobu Udundi.

During the Vietnam era, Taira sensei owned a nightclub in the rough hustle and bustle of Okinawa City, a rest area for troops heading to Vietnam or just back from the war. These were wild times and Taira sensei experienced a great deal of martial arts "practical application". He developed a no-nonsense approach to self-protection. This made his instruction unique- while the karate teachers I had known expressed pride in never getting in a fight, Taira sensei offered us instruction based upon extensive experience.

He was our primary Motobu Udundi instructor and is sorely missed.

Odo Seikichi 1926-2002
Seikichi Odo was both a karate master and a weapons master. He was one of the first to fully integrate karate with a complete weapons system. His first martial art was judo which he began as a child. He then studied Tomari-te under Koho Kuba and continued to invest the rest of his life researching the old ways of Okinawan martial arts.

As a senior student of the legendary Master Nakamura Shigeru, Odo sensei enjoyed access to some of the finest training available. Master Odo was known around the world for his old style karate and his impressive weapons skills.
I began my training with Odo sensei in 1978 and eventually received my 1st through 8th degree black belts from Odo sensei over a twenty-four year period.

Eiso Shimabuku
In an effort for full disclosure I would like to acknowledge my first martial arts teacher, Shimabuku sensei. I only was his student for a few months before switching to Odo sensei, but they were a good few months. As my first exposure to martial arts most of the basics that I still practice were taught to me by Shimabuku sensei. I also take much of my teaching style from him. I have fond memories of pounding his rooftop makiwara on warm dark nights, sitting around with his wife and son after class and sharing tea, struggling to understand my first few kata, and, of course, kumite (sparring) with other students!